Penholder assembly

ABSTRACT

A penholder assembly having a funnel adaptor pivotally mounted in the top of a bonnet and a stem attached to the bottom of the bonnet having either an annular boss or annular groove which is gripped by resilient coupling means that are mounted in a bushing which releasably receives the stem.

United States Patent [151 3,655,062 1451 Apr. 11, 1972 Curry [54] PENHOLDER ASSEMBLY [72] Inventor: James E. Curry, Pawtucket, RI.

[ 73] Assignee: A. T. Cross Company [22] Filed: July 10, 1970 [21] Appl.No.: 53,783

[52] US. Cl. ..21l/69.6,2l l/69.8,248/475 A [5l Int. Cl. ..A47f 7/00[58] Field of Search ..2l l/69.6, 69.7, 69.8, 69.5, 2] H691; 248/475 A;287/DlG. 5

[ 56] 7 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,853,876 4/1932 Parker..21 l/69.6

3,544,259 12/1970 Fujita ..248/475A 1,618,851 2/1927 Thunberg ..287/DIG.5

2,403,083 7/1946 Hull ..211/69.6 1,641,949 9/1927 Hammon ..2ll/69.5

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,246,937 10/1960 France ..248/475 APrimary Examiner-Roy D. Frazier Assistant Examiner-Abraham FrankelAttorney-Barlow & Barlow [57] ABSTRACT 3 Claims, 6 Drawing FiguresPATENTEUAPR 1 1 m2 FIG.5

INVENTOR JAMES E. CURRY ATTORNEYS PENHOLDER ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION This invention relates to penholders and more particularly topenholders used in desk sets. A feature that is incorporated into almostevery desk set penholder today is its ability to be adjusteduniversally. Many penholders have a spherical ball and socket unit witha funnel adaptor attached to the spherical ball. The socket is normallymounted in some manner in the base of the penholder. The angularposition at which the funnel adaptor and funnel extend from the base ismaintained by frictional or resilient means between the ball and thesocket.

Another type of structure used to give universal adjustability to thefunnel is to have the funnel adaptor mounted in a bonnet and having itpivotable only in a single plane around a given axis. Attached to thebottom of the bonnet then is a cylindrical stem that mates with acylindrical sleeve in the base and allows the stem to be rotated 360.

A problem of much concern to the pen industry is the fact that thefunnel adaptors are frequently broken when a heavy book or object isaccidentally dropped thereon. The time in volved and the nuisance of thewhole process in obtaining a new funnel adaptor from the manufactureroften sours the users disposition toward the manufacturers productsgenerally. Many a potential repeat customer is lost in this manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The maneuverability of the penholder of thepresent invention retains the basic ability to be universally adjustedwhile incorporating the advantage of preventing the funnel adaptor frombeing broken as a result of a heavy blow against it. The funnel adaptoris mounted in a bonnet in such a manner that it may be pivoted onlywithin a single plane. A stem attached to the bottom of the bonnetcooperates with a bushing mounted in the base of the penholder to form acoupling unit and the stem is revolvable therein throughout 360. Thebushing contains resilient means that act against an annular groove orannular boss on the stem to provide sufficient tension to retain thestem in the bushing when subjected to normal forces. When a greaterforce is applied to the funnel adaptor, the outer edge of an annularflange on the sleeve surrounding the bushing acts against the bottomsurface of the bonnet as the bonnet is being rocked'upwardly from thebase. The point at which the bonnet pivots about the flange is thefulcrum and as force on the funnel adaptor becomes greater than theforces resiliently holding the stern in the bushing, the stem will riseup out of the bushing. This safety disengagement feature prevents thefunnel adaptor from being broken each time an accidentaL blow is struckagainst the adaptor.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the preferredembodiment showing a partial cross section through the base;

FIG. 2 is a cross section illustrating the removable penholder unit;

FIG. 3 is a cross section of the fixed penholder unit;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of an alternative embodiment showing apartial cross section through the base;

FIG. 5 is a cross section illustrating the alternative removablepenholder unit; and

FIG. 6 is a cross section of the alternative fixed penholder unit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIGS. 1-3, thepreferred embodiment of the penholder will be discussed. Basically thepenholder consists of a removable unit 10 and a fixed unit 25 mounted ina base 35. The removable unit has a funnel 11 mounted at the top of thefunnel adaptor 12. A pen is normally received in the top of the funnel.Bonnet 13 having a slotted bore 14 in its top surface receives the lowerend of the adaptor l2 and pin 15 passing through a horizontal bore 16 inthe lower end of the adaptor prevents it from being pulled out of thebonnet. The bonnet is flanged radially outward slightly as at 13' andscrew threaded into the bottom wall 13A of the bonnet is a stem 20having a bored out area that receives a spring 17 and ball 18. Theaction of the spring against the ball maintains the bottom of the funneladaptor in its uppermost position within the honnet. The action of theannular boss 19 will be explained later when its relationship to thefixed unit 25 is discussed.

The base 35 permanently receives within a bore 36 in its top surface thefixed unit 25. Outermost in the unit is a sleeve 26 having a flange 27that limits the distance the fixed unit may be pushed into the bore. Abushing 28 having a chamfered mouth sets within sleeve 26 and has aninternal annular shoulder 29 against which a split ring 30 is held inplace by a second sleeve 31. Although the mouth of the bore of thebushing is depicted as being chamfered as at 32, it is to be realizedthat the design of the relief is not to be so restricted. The reliefcould also be in the form of a counterbore for example, and as long asthe configuration of the relief allows the stem to be rocked laterally,its design is unlimited.

The action which occurs when the removable unit is coupled to the fixedunit is as follows. The stem of unit 10 is first lowered into thebushing 28 and since the outer diameter of annular boss 19 is slightlyless than the diameter of the bore of bushing 28, the stem will descendfreely until the annular boss 19 engages the split ring 30. Byincreasing the downward force applied to the stem the round surface ofthe boss 19 cams against the curved surface of the split ring forcingthe ring to expand into the annular groove formed between the topsurface of sleeve 31 and the bushing shoulder 29. The annular boss thenpasses through the split ring which then springs back to engage the stem20 and the bottom wall of the bonnet rests upon flange 27 of sleeve 26.

For a proper understanding of how the removable unit releases from thebase, it is necessary to refer to FIG. 1. As seen in the figure, thefunnel and funnel adaptor are depicted in an attitude similar to onethat would result from the force of a heavy blow across the top of thefunnel or funnel adaptor. Point 37 which is spaced from the center ofthe flange 13' becomes the fulcrum around which the different forces actand the effect of a sufiiciently large force causes the stem 20 to riseup out of the bushing with the boss 19 sliding up the chamfered mouthwhen the resisting force of the split spring against the annular bosshas been overcome. This therefore prevents the funnel adaptor from beingbroken as the result of heavy objects falling on the penholder.

An alternative embodiment is illustrated in FIGS. 4-6. As seen there,the outer configuration of the lower end of the stem 20 is different. Itis in the form of an inverted frustoconical section and has an annulargroove 19 therearound. The upper end of bushing 40 is bored out tomatingly receive the frusto-conical stem 20 and has a plurality of bores41 extending radially outwardly. Positioned within these bores aresprings 42 that bear against balls 43. When the stem 20' of theremovable unit is pressed into bushing 40, the balls 43 compress springs42 until the balls ride into the annular groove 19' of the stem. Theforce of the spring loaded balls against the groove of the stem retainsthe stem within bushing 40 against any normal forces which may strikethe funnel or funnel adaptor. When a force larger than normal is appliedagainst the funnel or funnel adaptor, point 37 becomes the fulcrumaround which the different forces act. As the gripping force appliedagainst the stem by the resilient coupling means is overcome, the stembecomes disengaged and rocks up out of the bushing and thus prevents theadaptor from being broken.

It will be seen that I have provided a construction of a penholder heldin a bushing in a base which has a fulcrum point for rocking a funneladaptor out of its bushing and has its cooperating parts of a shape topermit this rocking action.

' What is claimed is:

1. A penholder comprising a funnel having a bore for receiving a pen,

a funnel adaptor attached to the bottom of the funnel,

a bonnet having an axial bore in which one end of the funnel adaptor isreceived and having a radially extending flange with a bottom wall,

a stem attached to and projecting from the bottom wall of said bonnetand extending axially perpendicular to said bottom wall,

annular means on the outer surface of said stem,

a bushing having a bore for receiving said stem,

resilient spring means mounted within said bushing cooperating with saidannular means releasably coupling said stem to said bushing,

said bore of the bushing having an enlarged opening at its top,

the radius of said flange and the axial extent of said stem spring meanscomprises a split ring that may be expanded into a groove in saidbushing.

3. A penholder as recited in claim 1 wherein said resilient spring meanscomprises a plurality of spring loaded balls that are received in boresin said bushing.

1. A penholder comprising a funnel having a bore for receiving a pen, afunnel adaptor attached to the bottom of the funnel, a bonnet having anaxial bore in which one end of the funnel adaptor is received and havinga radially extending flange with a bottom wall, a stem attached to andprojecting from the bottom wall of said bonnet and extending axiallyperpendicular to said bottom wall, annular means on the outer surface ofsaid stem, a bushing having a bore for receiving said stem, resilientspring means mounted within said bushing cooperating with said annularmeans releasably coupling said stem to said bushing, said bore of thebushing having an enlarged opening at its top, the radius of said flangeand the axial extent of said stem being so related relative to the sizeof said bore and position of said resilient spring means that rocking ofthe stem about a point spaced from the center of said flange will forcethe stem upwardly and force said resilient means radially outward torelease said stem whereby the stem may be rocked out of said bore abouta point on the lower surface of said bonnet.
 2. A penholder as recitedin claim 1 wherein said resilient spring means comprises a split ringthat may be expanded into a groove in said bushing.
 3. A penholder asrecited in claim 1 wherein said resilient spring means comprises aplurality of spring loaded balls that are received in bores in saidbushing.